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The alleged sexual assault case that led to the arrest of Dominique Strauss-Kahn is also a blow to the institution he heads the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Sunday night, the institution announced that, as required by procedures, number two, John Lipsky, will assume the duties of general manager for the duration of the absence of DSK. The board of directors of the fund must hold a special meeting Sunday evening, "informally," says the institution. So John Lipsy who will chair the meeting.The IMF can initiate disciplinary proceedings against the Director General in case of "serious breaches" of the code of conduct for officials of the institution.

"This case is bound to tarnish the image of the institution, which, however, by the voice of its director general had managed during and through the crisis, to find a proper place in the regulation of globalization and stand at the heart international monetary system, "said Hassim Mounis, professor at Sciences Politiques in Paris.

"Dominique Strauss-Kahn is a Managing Director of IMF that will be remembered most," says the economist. "It will mark the spirits because he has temporarily disrupted the guidance of the IMF's role by requiring the state to support the economy, which is in total contradiction with the previous liberal policy of the institution," said it.DSK is known to have handled the economic crisis and financial crisis by bringing a Keynesian response … measured, however: in the emblematic case of Greece, the IMF forced the government to drastically reduce public spending and operate a process of privatization.

The IMF is "operational," Greece continues its reforms

Greece precisely, it ensures that the events that challenge the IMF does not change the government program to revive the economy. "The government is pursuing the reforms required by the Fund," said George Petalotis Sunday, his spokesman. DSK would have had to go in Berlin on Sunday and meet Angela Merkel to discuss a possible new aid to Greece, which had gained support in spring 2010 of 110 billion euros, 30 billion from the IMF.This meeting was to take place on the eve of a meeting of the Eurogroup, the Monday night and Tuesday in Brussels, with the main discussions at the agenda of the financial problems that resurface Greece for several days and that plague the markets. It is the deputy general manager of operations, Nemat Shafik, who will attend the Eurogroup meeting.

The IMF meanwhile assured that it remains "fully functional and operational." The Washington-based institution to ensure and maintain its role in the issue of European sovereign debt. "It seems impossible that the case could impact the DSK button timing and responsablités IMF, the stakes are too great," says an economist based in Paris.There was a pre-DSK IMF, there may be an after-DSK.

Who might succeed him at the IMF?

Since Bretton Woods in 1944, which devoted a share of the world between Europe and America, the custom was established to appoint a European to head the IMF and an American to head the Bank World. But in recent years, global economic governance has, too, internationalized: emerging countries like China and Brazil now have a bigger role, like the G7 became the G8 and G20.

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, who became the tenth Executive Director of the IMF on 1 November 2007, has himself advocated the continuation of the reform of the institution, and wanted a person from an emerging country for the succeeding fall 2012 . But the events that shook the Fund could also shake up the program.If DSK had to leave the branch, a new early election should take place. The voices, weighted by the amount of quotas, have been reallocated on March 3 after a major reform of the representation of the 187 IMF member countries. The reform has enabled the transfer of 6% of the votes of over-represented countries to benefit from emerging countries. Nevertheless, the IMF is likely to adopt a tougher stance vis-à-vis Europe under the leadership of a new management team.

"DSK is a former economics professor and renowned former Minister of Economy and Finance. He has a real economic role at the operational level to the IMF. In France, too, has played its role, "insists Mounis Hassim, comparing his skills to those of Raymond Barre.Under Jospin, DSK, then Minister of Economy (1997-1999), had participated in the launch of the euro.

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The ousted leader of the Michelin and Danone takes top spot in 2011 salaries of bosses Cac 40 prepared by Les Echos. Michel Rollier has received compensation of 4.5 million euros for 2010. Frank Riboud, head of Danone, he pocketed 4.4 million euros last year and takes the second spot on the podium, followed by the CEO of LVMH, Bernard Arnault, who won 3.9 million euros in total compensation. In total, the Cac 40 bosses have affected more than 98.3 million euros in compensation. The average CEO salaries Cac 40 amounted to 2.46 million per officer, up 24% compared to 2009.

The first of the three managers sponsored by Michelin also holds the record for pay increases: salary soared 505%.This increase is directly related to the rise of the findings of Michel Rollier as not receiving a fixed salary but only secured a bonus based on the results of the giant tires.

This peculiarity makes his annual compensation very volatile from one year to another, as in the previous ranking, published in 2010 and based on total compensation patterns in 2009, the envelope of Michel Rollier displayed in downturn 303% compared to the one he had seen in 2008. He then pocketed 743,000 euros, which was then the lowest pay of executives within the Cac 40. This end up filing returns this year to the CEO of STMicroelectronics, Carlo Bozotti, with 903,000 euros.Penultimate winners of 2011, the CEO of Renault shows a total compensation of 1.2 million, unchanged from last year: Carlos Ghosn has in fact waived his variable compensation following the fiasco caused by the false case of espionage.

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Whether employers or unions, the measure does not satisfy anybody! As for companies with more than 50 employees, there is consternation: the premium required will be "a further complication for companies that create jobs in France", do we denounce the MEDEF. Where there is no lack of argument: "Businesses from 50 to 500 people are those shareholders who need to grow, it is firms that are missing in France, it is companies that need capital to pay."

The president of CroissancePlus Frederick Bedin, think "good on the merits, not the property on the form" of the measure, which denotes him as a "simplistic view of the company." It would be far "more beneficial for the development of growth, the State engages in a genuine and lasting reduction of payroll taxes, which would favor an increase in net wages of employees."

Conversely, in smaller companies, where the premium will not be binding, but rather relief. CGPME even speaks of "good news" while deploring that "a small business of 51 employees distributed dividends is subject to the same constraints as a global company in the CAC 40!".

As usual, the unions showed their displeasure – with varying degrees of virulence, however. Francois Chereque, secretary general of the CFDT, called a "mistake" the principle of a mandatory premium in large firms, certain that it would "divide the employees, limiting wage increases, and constitute a" gift, a windfall "to the employers who receive relief cash advance. His counterpart at FOR, Jean-Claude Mailly, spoke of a "announcement effect", lamenting a "gas factory" even though "full of employees will have nothing.""The smartest bosses may repurchase shares to avoid n'augmentent dividends," he said on LCI.

"No obligation of result"

CGT denounced "improvisation" and "attempts electioneering" government facing a "real problem of purchasing power." She also regrets that there is "no obligation of result" of negotiations.

The CFTC has "welcomed" the Government's concern for an "equitable sharing of the wealth produced in the business," but hoped that "all companies" are concerned. As for the CFE-CGC, she has "taken note of the will" of the government, preventing it deems appropriate time the effects of this "yet another mechanism that can be used to plug the holes in the racket of sharing value added. " He concluded: "Nothing replaces the perennial wage measures".

The law on the reorganization of the electricity market is now back on track. Tuesday morning, confirming the information of Figaro, Eric Besson, Minister of Energy, said the sale price of the EDF nuclear power to its competitors would rise to 40 euros per megawatt hour as of July 1 next, then 42 euro from 1 January 2012.This device, designed to boost competition in France will be considered in a fortnight by the Regulatory Commission (CRE), which must render a reasoned opinion.

Meanwhile, the government clearly adjudicated in favor of electrical lights: it was still estimated at 42 euros per MWh the full cost of nuclear power (operation, maintenance, future investments …), while its competitors, GDF Suez head, had set the bar at 35 euros, in line with the current regulated rates.

The reaction of GDF Suez has been immediate. The other French energy giant said that "this election will penalize customers who will experience increases for electricity prices." Convergence expected by 2015 between regulated tariffs and prices Arenh (restricted to nuclear power history) will increase mechanics first.The consumer association UFC-Que Choisir dread even price shock, "a rumor, according to Eric Besson, which I would like to help twist the fact."

Also in the eyes of GDF Suez, the high level of Arenh prevent the establishment of effective competition in electricity supply in France. In these circumstances, the group will study the consequences of that decision and the possible ways to overcome the narrowness of the market opening in the short term induced by the choices of government. "

Another competing operator EDF, Direct Energy (which serves over 600,000 clients), however, shows less severe. Its president, Xavier Caitucoli welcomes first that law enforcement has not been postponed, as had been discussed earlier this month. "After several years the French market was locked, the start of the competition has really come.At 42 euros, it is possible for a competitive operator, although it will be difficult, "he says.

Seasonality

Xavier Caitucoli, it should also not focus too much on the price of Arenh: "The product is also very important and the fact that the volumes of energy vary according to seasonality will make it attractive." Sub- understood: in winter, when electricity prices are very high on the wholesale market, Direct Energy will be able to provide through Arenh on much more interesting.

In this issue, which collects opinions shared, all players meet at least the fact that the accident Fukushima weighed a heavy weight."Somehow, the government has anticipated that the audit of EDF plants could lead to huge additional costs of maintenance and needed to be reflected in the selling price of electricity."

The law on the reorganization of the electricity market is now back on track. Tuesday morning, confirming the information of Figaro, Eric Besson, Minister of Energy, said the sale price of the EDF nuclear power to its competitors would rise to 40 euros per megawatt hour as of July 1 next, then 42 euro from 1 January 2012.This device, designed to boost competition in France will be considered in a fortnight by the Regulatory Commission (CRE), which must render a reasoned opinion.

Meanwhile, the government clearly adjudicated in favor of electrical lights: it was still estimated at 42 euros per MWh the full cost of nuclear power (operation, maintenance, future investments …), while its competitors, GDF Suez head, had set the bar at 35 euros, in line with the current regulated rates.

The reaction of GDF Suez has been immediate. The other French energy giant said that "this election will penalize customers who will experience increases for electricity prices." Convergence expected by 2015 between regulated tariffs and prices Arenh (restricted to nuclear power history) will increase mechanics first.The consumer association UFC-Que Choisir dread even price shock, "a rumor, according to Eric Besson, which I would like to help twist the fact."

Also in the eyes of GDF Suez, the high level of Arenh prevent the establishment of effective competition in electricity supply in France no fax payday loans. In these circumstances, the group will study the consequences of that decision and the possible ways to overcome the narrowness of the market opening in the short term induced by the choices of government. "

Another competing operator EDF, Direct Energy (which serves over 600,000 clients), however, shows less severe. Its president, Xavier Caitucoli welcomes first that law enforcement has not been postponed, as had been discussed earlier this month. "After several years the French market was locked, the start of the competition has really come.At 42 euros, it is possible for a competitive operator, although it will be difficult, "he says.

Seasonality

Xavier Caitucoli, it should also not focus too much on the price of Arenh: "The product is also very important and the fact that the volumes of energy vary according to seasonality will make it attractive." Sub- understood: in winter, when electricity prices are very high on the wholesale market, Direct Energy will be able to provide through Arenh on much more interesting.

In this issue, which collects opinions shared, all players meet at least the fact that the accident Fukushima weighed a heavy weight."Somehow, the government has anticipated that the audit of EDF plants could lead to huge additional costs of maintenance and needed to be reflected in the selling price of electricity."

The iPad 2 has attracted the crowds. Over the weekend, the queues are often longer than last year, were formed before the Apple stores and shopping channel partners for the launch of the new touch pad in the United States. More than a thousand people are massed together at the Apple Store on Fifth Avenue, New York, against 700 in April 2010. According to a statement of the analyst Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray, Apple could have sold between 400,000 and 500,000 iPad 2 from Friday night. Last year, 300,000 iPad have been sold during the first weekend.

This strong demand for iPad 2 leads already to longer delivery times.The iPad 2 is now shipped in three to four weeks depending on the Apple website, instead of three to four day period during the launch, while distributors contacted by U.S. analysts said their inventories were at their lowest . Asked by the Wall Street Journal, a spokesman for Apple has described the request as "extraordinary" and said the company was working to fulfill all orders no fax pay day loans. The first iPad had known for several weeks out of stock, partly because of worries of supply of the screen.

The profile of the buyer iPad has since evolved. It is divided almost equally between Mac owners and PC, when the Apple faithful were over last year (74%), says analyst Gene Munster. Nearly half of buyers (47%) choose a model with a 3G connection, more expensive.They also turn more readily to the storage capacity of 32 GB and 64 Furthermore, some 70% of clients did not have two iPad iPad far. In another survey of ChangeWave institute, over 80% of U.S. consumers intend to buy a touch pad to turn to consider the iPad.

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While China has already provided support to European countries struggling with debt problems, such as Spain or Portugal, it could again give them a boost. The central bank governor, Zhou Xiaochuan, said on Friday that "despite difficulties in some European countries, China supports strong to overcome their budgetary difficulties and succeed in their economic recovery."

Moreover, Zhou Xiaochuan said China is "very confident in the euro area and its ability to overcome the crisis. What about European countries in difficulty, the governor said: "We have confidence in their economic prospects." A response to the wave of downgrades by Moody's sovereign these days, that hit Greece and Spain.

China pledged last year to support the euro zone countries face the rising cost of sovereign debt, worsened by U.S. rating agencies. The Spanish daily El Pais had reported in early January that the Chinese government planned to buy six billion euros of debt in Spain. In December, the Portuguese daily Jornal de Negocios wrote that Beijing was ready to buy five billion euros of debt Portuguese. At the end of last year, the chief economist of the bank Natixis, Patrick Artus, had considered buying Chinese Greek debt to several hundred million euros. Beijing has never confirmed any of these amounts.

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"Sony Ericsson will partner with the biggest names in entertainment," explains director France, Pierre Perron. Illustration of this strategy, the partnership between the phone manufacturer and Canal +. The platform will be available on some smartphones range from the month of April. The application will be embedded directly on phones. The offer is decorated with three months free trial on all of Canal +. Then, without subscription, only emissions will be available in clear.

The announcement came while the group wants to make her comeback on the smartphone segment. Outpaced the market, Sony Ericsson has added four new references to its Xperia range, with the ambition to sell 2 million units in France this year.Currently, he weighs 10% of this market, which stood at just under 8 million units in 2010.

To do this, the brand mobile phone, a joint venture equally owned by Sony and Ericsson, placing more than ever on his Japanese parentage. Sony Ericsson has taken its technology to Sony Bravia Engine that its TV crew to offer a "better signal processing, richer colors …." For the photo, Exmor R is directly inherited from the image capture developed for ranges of SLR cameras and compact Japanese. With Xperia Play, the smartphone-game console, the brand has pushed the logic of convergence to a climax.

The convergence between television and the phone does not stop there. Connected to a TV with an HDMI cable, a smartphone brand makes "any connected TV."Indeed, it is possible, from its smartphone view photos, videos on his TV and even surfing. Everything is even easier when the TV is also a Sony, with a dedicated menu. But Sony TVs are themselves connected. "We are number two on TV in France and number one for sales of TV connected with 50% market share at the end of 2010," says Philippe Citroën, managing director of Sony France. A quarter of owners have actually connected their television. "They use it mainly for the TV catch up, Sony has a partnership with M6 Replay or visit community sites like Dailymotion," added Philippe Citroën.

Remains whether this marriage of the "best of both worlds", will be sufficient to allow Sony Ericsson to regain lost market share in mobile telephony.

Renault management will be held accountable to employees disoriented and increasingly frustrated. "Since the beginning of this case, teams are troubled because management has never been able to bring the three elements that warrant dismissal. This is all that some people complained of enjoyed a genuine will on the human level, "said one of them. But today, when leaders make about face, the executives, who had to take over two months during the certainties of management, are extremely frustrated and worried. Their confidence in top management crumbles to the rhythm of press revelations, "he says.

"We're clearly not happy and we are asking more questions about how the investigation was conducted and how decisions were taken. In any case, what has been done does not match what we expect of our leaders.It's very shocking because it is a denial of our culture. These three frames were attached to the company, as I am and my colleagues, "says an executive from a different direction. Resentment towards the top of the company is palpable. "We welcome the decision to return the frames unfairly jeopardized if it is confirmed that this is the case.We demand further that meet at an earlier board special for Patrick Pelata and Carlos Ghosn, the two CEOs of the company, speak on this matter and take everyone with their responsibilities, " said Friday a representative of the CFE-CGC.

"Ghosn must take the consequences"

Patrick Pelata, number two in the group, who said in Le Figaro that if there was no case of espionage, he "will draw all the consequences," accusing eyes are now turning to Carlos Ghosn, CEO . "I think that employees would not understand that the CEO does not resign, especially since it does not have a capital of sympathy particularly high," said a third frame. Many people accuse him of having undermined the group."Carlos Ghosn said he expressed his certainty in the media to protect the company, but in reality, if all that is wrong, it will have destroyed our reputation by falsely accusing employees. It must draw the consequences, "adds the frame.

Employees also questioned the management style that would have resulted in these abuses. "If these three executives were sanctioned on the basis of the testimony of one person, it means that person's word is worth more than the employees, accuses Fabien Gache, central delegate of the CGT. We call for a thorough review of the organization Renault employees must be respected and listened again.Today, all decisions come from above. "

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Patrick Pelata, "I will draw all the consequences"

"If there is no business of espionage, I would draw all the consequences." Two months after the layoff, then the dismissal of three senior officers suspected of espionage, Patrick Pelata, number two of Renault, is clearly against the wall.

Tense, he broke his silence in an exclusive interview with Le Figaro. With great gravity he puts into play its responsibilities within the constructor. One way for him to remember that bear the consequences of this case but also to protect Carlos Ghosn, CEO of Renault and Nissan. For the past few days, the plot thickens.

An inside source says Le Figaro that a member of the security service stubbornly refuses to cooperate with the law to provide information.In particular, the identity of the outside investigator who recovered all the information that led to the identification of bank accounts in Switzerland and Liechtenstein. However, according to this source, mute the employee was "the only contact with the informant outside of Renault, who has supplied all private investigation." On two occasions, management, disturbed by this attitude, it would have sent written and oral orders remained dead letters. Accordingly, the employee has been drawing up a report indicating his refusal to cooperate.

The development of Squarcini

Faced with this situation, Patrick Pelata longer does the group is a victim of manipulation guaranteed unsecured personal loan."There are two hypotheses, either Renault suffered a case of espionage, or manipulation." This double scenario was brought Monday to the attention of the Prime Minister and Eric Besson Minister of Industry. If the conclusions of the investigation lead to the removal of all doubts about the guilt of the three frames, the number two at Renault ensures that the manufacturer will repair any attention to the injustices and propose to reinstate them.An opening that seemed impossible even a few weeks ago, so that their dismissal was done with great firmness.

Faced with bronce media in recent days, the director of central intelligence inside Squarcini Bernard, conducted Thursday afternoon, an update stating that "all the comments based on sources close to the matter are completely unfounded" , regretting that "such leaks seriously hinder the progress of the investigation." International letters rogatory launched to uncover potential bank accounts in Switzerland and Liechtenstein will not be returned to France before next week. In the meantime, Patrick Pelata has delivered what his aides called a major "operation transparency". A confession truth to defend the honor of his company.